Scuba diving holidays in Saint Mary Cayon Parish, St Kitts

Most people booking a diving holiday in St Kitts choose to stay in Basseterre, the capital of St Kitts and Nevis, because the choice of named dive sites on the Caribbean side is excellent. If you are a more experienced diver, however, you may prefer to stay on the north-east coast on the Atlantic side, where the waves are rougher and the dives sites are more challenging. If so, Saint Mary Cayon Parish is the ideal base.

The coastline of Saint Mary Cayon Parish is dominated by sheer cliffs and black sand beaches, which is a complete contrast to the south coast's calm waters and white sandy beaches. It is still beautiful, however, and is a good base for exploring some of the St Kitts' more difficult dive sites. One site that remains relatively untouched on the Atlantic side of St Kitts is Grid Iron, a large reef that boasts a colourful display of marine life. A plethora of different fish species can be found here, as well as large lobsters, reef sharks and a good variety of corals, sea fans and sponges. This is a moderate dive site, and a good place to start.

If you head to the opposite end of St Kitts, you will reach Sandy Point Reef on the north-west corner. This site is considered one of the best reef dives on the island, boasting spectacular coral reefs and canyons, and crystal clear waters that are rich in marine life.

Not far away from St Kitts, on the Atlantic (Windward) side of its sister island Nevis, lies the Aquarium, an advanced diving site for experienced divers. Surface conditions tend to rough here, and currents can often be unpredictable, but it's worth exploring because the diversity of fish life is incredible, hence the reason why the site got its name. Schools of jacks and grunts can be found amongst the pristine corals, as well as brightly-coloured angelfish. Other sea creatures such as Nurse Sharks and Stingrays also reside here. If you have the stomach for rough surface waters, this is one site not to miss.

There are many other dive sites around St Kitts to explore, most of which are unnamed, where you will find hidden wrecks, extensive reefs, mysterious caverns and many more underwater treasures. The waters can often be rough on the Atlantic side, which makes diving more difficult and daunting, but if you enjoy a challenge and the thrill of exploring virgin dive sites, it's definitely worth it. If the waters are too rough, dive centres will direct you to the calmer Caribbean waters (Leeward side). Whatever the conditions are during your diving holiday in Saint Mary Cayon Parish, prepare for plenty of exciting underwater adventures.